Fire85GSLSE

iTrader: (29)

Anyone replace there ball joints on there 7?
Did you take the lower control arm to a shop or were you able to get them out?
Mine will not come out. I have removed the lower control arm and will be taking it to Napa's machine shop.
Before I tear the pass. side apart i will wait to see if the driver side goes back together.

Rx7carl

You need a hyd press to get them on and off. If the new one is too easy going on, Id suggest a couple of tack welds to secure it. Actually its not a bad idea to do that no matter what. I replaced the ones in the racecar, didnt need to tack them as it was very tough going in, but I check them after every session just for saftey. Also, the stamped steel arms can be easily bent so make sure they treat them carefully in the press.

peejay

Yes i did.

They popped right out with a ball joint press.

I used NAPA ball joints, which appear to be made by the company that made them for Mazda. IN any event, the ball joints are splined where they press into the control arm, to minimize the possibility of the ball joint coming loose, which is a VERY common problem with Mazdas with press in type ball joints.

They pressed in smoothly, too. I tack welded them in on top just because I'm paranoid, and I've done far too many 626/MX-6/Probes where the new ball joint just rattles around in the control arm.

There is no point to trying to change ball joints without a ball joint press.

WorldPax

It's called a big ******* hammer, haha. Nah, you should be able to get them out with a press or a ball joint tool. I'm doing mine next week once they arrive.

WorldPax

Just be careful not to mess up or bend the control arms while trying to remove the ball joints.

peejay

Hammering the ball joint out just guarantees that the hole will be distorted and the new one will just sorta fall in, instead of pressing in.

Nice timing Carl, we should go into Olympic synchronized posting. I prefer the OTC type ball joint press, and my trusty IR234.

hornbm

I just coughed up thr dough and replaced the whole control arm. The only way to get the ball joint from mazda is to buy a new control arm, plus it comes with a new bushing as well.

Works great, but it was pretty pricey ($125 an arm)

Fire85GSLSE

iTrader: (29)

The dealer still had those parts? That is not too bad of a price seeing how the ball joint itself is 50.00 and the bushing is 13.00 plus tax your looking 70-75 dollars. Then the cost to press them in and out, probally 25.00 so it might be 100.00 to do use your old control arm and run the risk of it being bent.
Let me know a part number if you still have it.
Thanks

Fire85GSLSE

iTrader: (29)

Thanks for the input guys. My pickled fork did the tirrods fine but would not do the ball joint due to the size. I did not try to get it out, figured I would let a machine shop do it.

But now I might go with new control arms complete.
CHad

hornbm

The part numbers are.......

8871-49-320
8871-49-310

I forget which one is left and right. These were purchased through malloy mazda for 124.69 a piece

peejay

Replacing the whole control arm is the way to go. The sheetmetal isn't all that thick where the ball joint presses in. (Probably why Mazda only sells as an assembly, eh?) Rust weakends the stampings. The bushing's probably shot by the time the ball joint needs replaced. Might as well do it to it.

hornbm

yeah that was my logic behind it. Im only wondering how much longer the arms are gonna be availble. Alot of first gen parts are becomming no longer available

Fire85GSLSE

iTrader: (29)

I will look into the mazda price. a good friend of mine is the parts manager at mazda here in town.
I will post my cost if anyone else wants some.



I just figured since I am restoring my GSL-SE and the shocks,springs, and swaybars are gonna go while I am there the ball joints, tie rod ends and anyother busing I can find will be replaced also.
The car has adjustable shocks on it but I think they used the stock springs and since I don't know how old they are I am replacing everything.

CHad

rotor vs. piston

I did mine with the one's that come in the PST kit, new bushings as well. There ball joint are as hard as any get in there, but they come with snap rings to make sure they don't come back out. If I didn't use the PST kit I would have just bought new arms, the price sux but the piece of mind is priceless.

RotaryRevn

Hey, I'm deffinately interested if you get a good price. The SE I bought has 240k miles so I plan to swap everything out as well. Keep me updated on the price! (how often do ball joints go bad, or a better question, how long do they last?)

thanks man!

John